Cyril Ramaphosa’s ANC victory is reviving the hope of Soweto’s youth
Among pledges the ANC has struggled to deliver are free university tuition, good-quality housing, jobs and the redistribution of wealth to the black majority
Cyril Ramaphosa’s victory in the ANC leadership battle has sparked renewed hope among many in Soweto, where he grew up — and where frustration with the party has been mounting. "He is a model because he is one person that came out of the township and became a great businessman in this world," said journalism student Charlie Khoza from Tshawelo. He was among a group of six young men standing on a street corner, drinking fizzy drinks the day after Ramaphosa’s decisive victory in the tight leadership race. Their optimism for the probable future president and former trade unionist turned businessman was widely shared. In the less well-off Chiawele district of Soweto, just streets away from where Ramaphosa was born 65 years ago, Niseman Baleyi was cutting hair to the rhythm of traditional music. A father of two and a barber for 20 years, Niseman is increasingly struggling to make ends meet. But he is optimistic that the election of a multimillionaire to lead the ANC will mean an economic...
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